Film Guide - July 25, 2014

Broken Circle Breakdown: While its reach may exceed grasp, this is nevertheless an intoxicating, finely wrought romance with a terrific soundtrack.*** HR

Cold Harbour: An investigation into the murder of a Chinese man sees the life of policeman Sizwe Miya unravel in a way he didn’t expect as he uncovers corruption closer to home and an abalone smuggling operation. Great cast let down by a shabby script and ham-fisted direction. ** DT

Think Like a Man Too: The popular couples from Think Like A Man return in this sequel, on a slightly different adventure. Marriage, babies, and a wedding are on the cards in this entertaining romcom . *** LN

Belle: Beautiful period drama that delves into the life of a mixed-race woman who grew up in an aristocratic family at a time when slavery was still the bedrock of the British economy. **** TS

Blended: Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore again display an onscreen connection that lends a grounding warmth to the clunkiest of clunky comedy setups – two single parents on an African holiday as a second date. *** HR

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (3D): An unexpectedly good sequel, in which renegade ape Koba sets off a war with the surviving humans of a deadly virus. Only his leader and friend Caesar can stop it, but he might be too late. Fast-paced, well shot and an adventurous roller-coaster ride. *** DT

Deliver Us from Evil: An effective if imperfect meeting of the detective film and the exorcism-based fright flick. *** HR

Fading Gigolo: John Turturro ably directs a stellar cast in a story which may stray into brash territory, but makes excellent use of the good chemistry between its two leads. **** LN

Grand Budapest Hotel: A whimsical, if somewhat absurdist slice-of-life tale set against the backdrop of the pre-World War II era, with a stellar performance by Ralph Fiennes and equally impressive cameo by Tilda Swinton and Adrien Brody. **** LdM

Hateship, Loveship: Kirsten Wiig’s vibrant performance saves this drama, which could have been very predictable without it. *** WP

Haute Cuisine: Beautifully filmed dramedy about the woman who became chef to Francois Mitterand. Will be an easy sell to food lovers. *** HR

House of Magic (3D): Animated 3d adventure from the Belgian crew that created Fly Me to the Moon, about a kitten who stumbles into a magical house and decides he really wants to live there. (Not reviewed)

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (3D): The dragonriders of Berk are back, five years older, but Toothless steals the show. Exquisite flying sequences, meticulously animated with a strong, meaty storyline and interesting characters. **** TS

Life of a King: Cuba Gooding jr’s performance elevates this dramatic retelling of the unlikely true story of Eugene Brown and his mission to give inner-city Washington DC kids a future. *** WP

Maleficent: Angelina Jolie brings to life one of Disney’s scariest villains in this riff of Sleeping Beauty, but this is family fare where the menace lies more in the visuals than the intent of any character. *** TS

One Chance: An inspirational true story that transcends its formulaic telling with humour, heart and a pair of strong lead performances. *** HR

The Invisible Woman: Ralph Fiennes both tells the story and plays Charles Dickens as he reveals the love affair of his life with a younger woman. Unfolding at a measured pace and with a gentility that captures the times, not the emotional turbulence, it is for those who love books. **** DdB

The Other Woman: Settling for cheap laughs, director Nick Cassavetes doesn’t make use of the talented trio of leads. ** AP

Third Person: Three supposedly intersecting love stories, directed by Paul Haggis, but that’s about all that keeps it together. ** WP

Transformers 4: Age of Extinction: Great action scenes, but the missing cast and weak storyline will leave you yearning for the older films. *** MV

X-Men: Days of Future Past: Time travel and a full roster of X-Men and then some makes for a convoluted but fun movie. *** TS

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